Company Profile
Cochise College
Company Overview
Cochise College-Douglas Campus is home to the college’s competitive sports teams: baseball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s rodeo. Athletic facilities are available for a variety of sports; there is a rodeo arena and a physical education facility, including a gymnasium, wellness center and weight room.
Cochise College has been recognized nationally for its cost, return on investment and high success rate.
At Cochise, students learn about subjects in small classes with individualized attention from faculty who pass along real world experience.
Cochise College graduates can transfer seamlessly to all three Arizona four-year universities. And because of articulation agreements with many out-of-state universities, students can guarantee transfer credits.
Cochise College has also built strong relations with local and national businesses to offer co-op and internship opportunities in health care, industrial industries and Fort Huachuca. Many of our graduates start careers with Canyon Vista Medical Center, Copper Queen Community Hospital, Cochise County, Northrop Grumman, government agencies and many more.
In February 2016, Cochise College received the full accreditation of 10 years from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Our Mission: Cochise College provides accessible educational opportunities that are responsive to a diverse population and lead to constructive citizenship, meaningful careers and life long learning.
Our Values: Cochise College, in all that we do - teaching, learning and serving - we value quality, integrity and diversity.
Quality: We commit to a quest for excellence and strive to achieve our highest potential.
Integrity: We base our decisions and interactions on honesty, trust, respect, responsibility, accountability and ethical behavior.
Diversity: We respect differences between and among members of the community by embracing and encouraging the expression of ideas, opinions, and thoughts exchanged freely, respectfully and civilly.
Our Vision: Cochise College strives to be a learning community held in high esteem by members of its communities, providing high quality learning opportunities for its citizens. We are a learning community that:
- Places its highest priority, resources and energy on learning.
- Creates an environment and experiences, real or virtual, that encourage students to be active members of the learning community.
- Makes learning possible not only in the classroom but outside, through a myriad of activities and experiences, using any number of tools to enhance learning.
- Extends learning not only to students but to all members of the college community so that a feeling of collegiality abounds.
- Empowers students, faculty and staff to create a personally meaningful learning environment, where each accepts responsibility for contributing to the same.
Company History
Cochise College opened its doors in 1964 as one of the first community colleges in Arizona. Today, we provide high-quality associate-level education, professional development and workforce training to about 11,000 students each year.
The establishment of the college can be attributed to the efforts of the dedicated citizens of Cochise County, who voted in 1961 to create a community college district. A 1962 bond election resulted in the construction of the Douglas Campus, a 540-acre facility featuring unique architecture, scenic landscaping, and panoramic views of the Mule and Chiricahua Mountains, as well as neighboring Sonora, Mexico.
From the first semester, we have committed to serving citizens throughout the county. Our two campuses and five centers are located in an area rich in history, cultural diversity and natural beauty. Classes also are offered online. Fort Huachuca and Sierra Vista grew rapidly since the 1960s, and, after several years of providing classes in a network of temporary locations, we opened the Sierra Vista Campus on North Colombo Avenue in 1978. Our centers in downtown Sierra Vista, Benson and Willcox provide classes, computer labs, library access, distance learning, admissions, registration, placement assessment and financial aid services to students in those areas.
Driven by teaching and learning, access and diversity, and the use of technology and innovative instruction, we now focus on the college as a learning community. We continue to expand general education programs while also addressing the needs of the healthcare and technology industries. In addition, our community-directed programs include Adult Education, the Career Services Center, the Small Business Development Center, and Workforce Training and Community Education.
Benefits
Insurance Benefits
The college offers a number of employer provided insurance plans to include medical, dental, basic life and accidental death and dismemberment insurances and short-term disability plans. Eligible dependents participate in the medical and dental plans paid by the employee through payroll deduction. Employees and dependents enrolled in a college medical plan are provided an annual wellness benefit for use towards prevention activities such as exams and health screenings. The wellness benefit covers 100% of in-network wellness procedures up to the plan year maximum of $500 and can be used for on-site screenings as well as in-network health care provider offices.
Employees have the option of purchasing voluntary benefit plans for themselves and their dependents. These benefit plans include vision insurance, supplemental life insurance, flexible spending accounts and healthcare spending account.
Cochise College is a participant in the Cochise Combined Trust (CCT) which is an employee benefits consortium that sponsors the benefit plans provided to benefits eligible employees. Please visit the Cochise Combined Trust website for additional information on the benefit plans offered by the college.
Disability Plans
Cochise College provides a short term disability (STD) plan that is paid for by the College. Employees are also required to participate in Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) website Long Term Disability (LTD) Income Program.
Retirement Plans
All benefits eligible employees are required to participate in a mandatory retirement program through the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). The employee contribution is matched equally by the employer in the ASRS defined benefit retirement plan.
All employees may choose to voluntarily participate in the supplemental retirement plans (403 b and 457 b) to increase their retirement savings. Cochise College provides a choice of approved vendors for these voluntary retirement plans.
Leave and Paid Time Off
The college provides nineteen (19) paid holidays per year as well as paid annual, personal and sick leave to benefits eligible employees depending on their employee job classification. Please refer to the Cochise College policies for additional information on other types of leave and paid time off that are available.
Educational Benefits
The college offers tuition exemption for Cochise College courses to employees, spouses and children 25 years of age and younger. Tuition reimbursement is available to employees for 300, 400 and graduate level classes for employees that have an approved educational plan.
Employee Assistance Program
The college provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to employees and members of their household that includes confidential counseling, assistance with personal, family or workplace issues as well as financial and legal counseling services. The EAP also provides online access to a wide range of resources regarding work and life topics of interest to you and your family. Please visit the Cochise Combined Trust website for additional information on the EAP.
Benefits Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Answers to frequently asked benefit plan questions are on the Cochise Combined Trust website under each benefit category.